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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rule — government
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rule — a law
  7. pass — a permit
  8. scale — in music
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wound — an injury
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. present — there
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com